Letters to the editor

In regards to the tourist accommodation issue and Mr. Collins letter to the editor, Whistler residents have made their wishes very clear. They want the integrity of their neighbourhoods maintained. Council listened to their constituents and directed municipal staff to vigorously enforce the zoning bylaws.

The municipality hopes that those who are illegally renting or advertising with an intent to rent their RS1 zoned properties as short-term accommodation will comply with the bylaw. Processes such as show-cause hearings and consent orders are far less costly than pursuing permanent injunctions and we would prefer to spend taxpayers dollars on other needed projects. However, the municipality will continue to enforce its zoning bylaws to the highest courts if necessary, not in an attempt to intimidate or push people around, but in an attempt to protect our neighbourhoods and the quality of life for our residents, as well as support the legally zoned tourist accommodation property owners.

Bill Barratt

General Manager of Community Services

Resort Municipality of Whistler

If pigs could be farmed

I am writing in response to Mr. Art Collins letter in the Pique
last week.

Art feels that any Whistler property owner (or perhaps a tenant) should be allowed to rent their property on a nightly basis regardless of the zoning.

Should the RMOW lose its enforcement rights with respect to the current bylaw terminology, as Art is suggesting if the TA zoning case goes to the Supreme Court of Canada, then every property owner is at major risk.

If the RMOW and courts were to permit a commercial operation, such as a chalet offering nightly rentals in any and all of the subdivisions, what is to stop someone from running whatever type of commercial operation anywhere in Whistler?

As a resident of Whistler, I may find it inconvenient to drive to Nesters or the Alpine Market whenever I wish to purchase milk or bread. Perhaps I deem that other residents feel the same way. Should I be permitted to open a grocery store in my house?

Or perhaps there is a huge demand for wild mushrooms in Whistler and I have an under-utilized crawl space. Should I be permitted to open a mushroom farm in my crawl space? And a byproduct of mushroom farming is mushroom manure, an item I believe that I could sell to the several landscaping companies in Whistler.

And of course, pork is a demand item in Whistler restaurants so perhaps I should be allowed to raise a few pigs in my back yard.